Patient lifting device



Sept. 14, 1965 J. CAMPER 3,205,512

PATIENT LIFTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1963 WINVENTOR JAMES CAMPER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,205,512 PATIENT LIFTING DEVICE James Camper, 9'48 Carlton Ave, Lake Wales, Fla. Filed Aug. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 300,839 2 Claims. (Cl. 86)

This invention relates to therapeutic devices including of the character employed in connection with the rehabilitation of persons of reduced physical capacities either through birth, accidents, illnesses, or other causes, and by means of which devices the handling and treatment of persons are facilitated and simplified.

The invention relates particularly to a device by which an individual may be lifted from a prone or other position with minimum effort regardless of the location of the physical deformity of the individual, without danger of injury, and regardless of the weight of the individual.

Lifting devices of various kinds have been produced including those intended for the handling of persons. These have not been satisfactory for various reasons in cluding their cost, the skill and strength required to use them, and they have lacked provision for supporting the feet.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for lifting or carrying persons in selective positions or attitudes which can be quickly and easily assembled or taken apart without the use of tools, as well as of relatively inexpensive construction by which an individual may be readily supported, raised, lowered, and moved about with maximum facility and minimum effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated by means of which the body may not only be seated in various attitudes but also in a standing position for lifting and carrying purposes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one use of the invention;

FIG. 2, an enlarged perspective of the invention;

FIG. 3, a further enlarged perspective of the Windlass and its securing ratchet;

FIG. 4, a section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5, a section on the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6, an enlarged detail of the connection of the cable to the sling of FIG. 2; and,

FIG. 7, a perspective of an attachment which can be used in lieu of the sling of FIG. 2.

Briefly stated the invention is a person lifting device which can be readily assembled and taken apart without the use of any tools and consequently can be disposed in a compact package for shipment and storage. It comprises a pair of spaced supporting posts, a top bar detachably connecting the upper portions of said post with detachable braces in order that the inverted substantially U-shaped rigid frame thus provided can be employed for elevating and supporting a person. Each of the posts is mounted on a removable wheeled support having a horizontal member beneath each end of which is a caster wheel. Braces connect the ends of the horizontal member to the posts and provide a solid connection capable of holding the posts in upright position. In order to provide a carriage for a patient a flexible seat or sling is suspended by a cable from the top bar and a Windlass is provided for raising and lowering the sling,

a ratchet device or other means being provided for locking the Windlass in a fixed position to hold the seat or sling at the desired elevation. The sling is composed of a seat reinforced at each side and a connected relatively highly extending back supporting portion with a sling-type cable at each side having one end thereof connected to the intermediate portion of a side of the seat and the other end connected to the upper portion of the back which extends above and free of the side portions, such cable at each side being slidably connected to each end of a load connector bar releasably attached to the suspension cable.

The present invention consists of a frame of inverted substantially U-shaped construction including posts 10 and 11 and a substantially horizontally extending top bar or connecting portion 12. This frame may be relatively strong, for example of angle iron construction, and the connecting portion or top bar 12 may be secured by a pivot 13 to one of the legs and by a bolt 14 and a finger-tightened wing nut 15 to the other leg thus providing a pair of uprights and a top.

In order to provide rigidity and stability to the upper portion of the frame diagonal braces 16 and 17 are provided, the brace 16 being secured by a pivot 18 to the post 10, and the brace 17 being secured by a pivot 19 to the top bar 12. The opposite ends of the diagonal braces 16 and 17 are adapted to be fastened to the top bar 12 and to the post 11 respectively also by means of bolts and finger-tightened Wing nuts 14 and 15, respectively.

Positioned below the diagonal braces 16 and 17 and in substantial parallelism to the top bar 12 is a frame rigidifying cross bar and stabilizer device 20 of circular or other cross-section with flattened end portions 21 and 22 having a slot 23 in order that such end portion may fit about a hand-tightened eye screw 24 having an end 25 threaded through a nut 26 welded or otherwise maintained against rotation. The flattened end 22 of the crossbar or rod 20 may be attached in a similar manner or may be secured by the bolt 14 and wing nut 15. The crossbar or rod 20, in connection with the braces 16 and 17, posts 10 and 11 and the connecting portion or top bar 12, provide a rigid frame structure. Its stabilizing function will be later explained.

In order to maintain the frame and associated parts in upright position each lower free end of the U-shaped frame is provided with a supporting carriage including an angular bar 27 secured to the lower portion of each post 10 to support the post by means of a bolt 14 and finger-tightened wing nut 15 and the opposite extremities of the bar 27 are connected to braces 28 and 29 each connected to the bar 27 by a bolt 30 with the upper ends of said braces 28 and 29 fastened to the post 10 by a similar bolt 14 and a wing nut 15, thus each post will be provided with a triangular base. The base is mounted on caster wheels or rollers 31 in plates 33 attached to mounting plate 34 and secured by bolts 35 to horizontal plates 36 secured by bolts 37 to the bar 27.

Lifting and supporting mechanism for a patient or other person is provided in the form of a flexible sling or seat member 38 of nylon, canvas or other suitable material having the tops of its side edge portions reinforced in any desired manner, as for example by a hem 39, in which may be received a stiffening element 40. The seat member 38 is provided with a back supporting portion 41 extending a considerable distance above the seat side portions with a stiffening joint 42 at its lower end making it possible therefore to make the back either integral with or separate from the seat member 38. The upper edge portion of the back supporting portion 41 of the seat member is provided with a hem 42 in which is received a load distributing and support bar 43, such bar having an opening 44 at each end or side of the seat for receiving an S-hook connector 45 which may engage a swivel 46 by which it can be connected to one end of a sling cable 47. The opposite end of the sling cable 47 is secured by an S-type connector 45 to an intermediate or mid-portion of the upper side of the hem 39 in the seat member 38. The intermediate portion of each sling cable 47 slidably extends through an opening 48 in each end of a transversely extending balanced load connector bar 49 by means of which the seat member is supported, the bar 49 in turn having an opening 50 at its center in which is received an S-type connector 51 on the end of a hoisting cable 52. The hoisting cable passes over a pair of pulleys 53 and 54 rotatably mounted on pivot bolts 55 and 56, the bolt 55 being carried by a bracket 57 riveted or otherwise secured to the frame top bar 12 at substantially its mid-point and the other bolt 56 being fastened to the frame post 11. The opposite end of the hoisting cable 52 extends around a winch drum or windlass 58 having a ratchet wheel 59 engaged by a pawl 60. The winch drum 58 is mounted in a pair of uprights 61 on a bracket 62 fixed to the post 11 and the winch drum 58 is provided with a crank arm 63 and a handle 63' by means of which it may be rotated to wind and unwind the cable 52 to respectively raise and lower the member 38.

With reference to FIG. 1 it will be noted that the stabilizer or cross-bar extends transversely of the seat member and between the two reaches of each sling cable 47 and at such a location as to not interfere with the body of the occupant when supported in the seat member 38. The .seat occupant can thus grasp and hold onto the cross-bar to adjust himself into any of a relatively wide range of comfortable seating positions or postures and maintain or stabilize himself in a selected position. This is made possible due to the connection of the forward reaches of the sling cables 47 to the intermediate portions of the seat side hem portions 39, the connection of the rearward reaches of the cables 47 to the back supporting portion 41 at a location above the seat member and the slidable connections of the cables with the load connector bar 49. Thus, by holding onto the crossbar 20 the seat occupant can selectively exert pressure with his back and legs against the upper portion 42 of the seat back 41 and the forward edge portion of the seat member 38, respectively, to effect and maintain a desired seating attitude.

Instead of the member 38 being attached to the bar 49 the openings 48 may each engage S-hook 45 to which cable 64 may be attached and used for supporting stirrups or foot slings 65. With this arrangement the occupant can, by holding onto the cross-bar 20, stabilize himself while being supported in the foot stirrups 65.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 the device may be used for lifting a person, as for example a patient from a hospital bed 66, or from other object or support and for maneuvering and handling such person and transporting him, the relatively adjustable seat and'back facilitating application of the device. The device of the present invention is of such character that it can be erected or collapsed in the matter of a very few moments without the use of wrenches or other tools. Collapsing can be accomplished by counter rotation of the retaining eye bolt at the left end of the cross bar 20 and the unscrewing of the wing nut at the right end of the bar. The cross bar thus can be removed permitting the sling or seat structure 38 to be removed, the hoisting cable supporting the same being liftable from the pulleys on which it is supported. The sling or seat can be disconnected by unhooking the S-type seat and cable hook connections 45 and 51 after which the hoisting cable can be unwound from the Windlass to which it is attached. The caster wheeled carriage for the lower end of each of the posts of the upright frame can then be removed by removing the upper and lower wing nuts by which the wheel carriage is attached to the posts. Thereafter the generally U- .shaped frame can be laid upon the floor, the eye bolt at the left end of the stabilizer bar and the wing nut at the right end of the stabilizer bar can be loosed so that the stabilizer bar may be released. The wing nuts securing the ends of the corner braces in place next should be unscrewed and the corner braces swung to a position parallel to the members to which they are attached. Then the wing nut in the upper left corner of the frame can be loosened so that the horizontal top member can be swung parallel to the post to which it is pivotally attached. The parts then can be placed in a compact package. Reassembling can be accomplished by a reverse operation.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A castered collapsible device for application to and for the elevation and supporting of a person for therapeutic treatment, for transportation, or for other purpose, said device comprising an inverted U-shaped frame including spaced supporting posts, a top bar detachably connecting the upper end portions of said posts in fixed spaced relation, releasable bracing means between said top bar and posts, a cross-bar releasably connected between said pair of spaced supporting posts in substantially spaced and parallel relation to said top bar, a detachable caster wheeled support for the lower end of each of said posts, said caster wheeled supports being parallelly spaced apart affording unobstructed access therebetween from both directions, said wheeled supports including a horizontal member of substantially length with caster roller means supporting each end portion thereof, braces detachably connected to each of said posts from a location spaced above said horizontal member and extending angularly downward and connected to each outer end portion of said horizontal member, pulley means mounted on the upper portion of said U-shaped frame, a load supporting cable having an end depending from said pulley means at substantially the center of said U-shaped frame, a balanced support bar secured to the said depending cable end, Windlass means on said U- shaped frame connected to the opposite end of said load supporting cable, a pair of sling cables each slidably connected intermediate their length to each end of said balanced support bar, adjustable seat means including a relatively high back portion and relatively low side portions, the corresponding ends of said pair of sling cables being connected at opposite sides of said seat means to the top portions of said seat back and side portions at the side of the seat adjacent thereto whereby two cable reaches thereby formed in each of said seat sling cables are disposed in relative angular depending relation to each other, said frame cross-bar extending across said frame and between each pair of said reaches in each of said seat sling cables whereby said cross-bar may be grasped by a seat occupant to effect attitude adjustments between the portions of the adjustable seat means and for stabilizing his position therein when supported in said seat means.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 in which said adjustable seat means comprises a flexible seat of sheet material, said side portions each being formed integral therewith and having a hem formed along the upper edge thereof, means reinforcing said hem, the connection of each of said sling cables to each of said seat side portions being at a point intermediate the length of said hem and engaging said reinforcing means, said relatively high seat back portion extending free of said seat side portions, said balanced support bar having aperture means in each end thereof, each cable of said pair of sling cables slidably extending through one of said aperture means at opposite ends of said support bar thereby forming said slidable connection therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Jerome et a1 5--85 X Pownall 5-83 Bunker 5-89 Hassold ct a1 5-86 Cullen 5-86 Welsh 297-274 10 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CASTERED COLLAPSIBLE DEVICE FOR APPLICATION TO AND FOR THE ELEVATION AND SUPPORTING OF A PERSON FOR THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT, FOR TRANSPORTATION, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING AN INVERTED U-SHAPED FRAME INCLUDING SPACED SUPPORTING POSTS, A TOP BAR DETACHABLY CONNECTING THE UPPER END PORTIONS OF SAID POSTS IN FIXED SPACED RELATION, RELEASABLE BRACING MEANS BETWEEN SAID TOP BAR AND POSTS, A CROSS-BAR RELEASABLY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF SPACED SUPPORTING POSTS IN SUBSTANTIALLY SPACED AND PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID TOP BAR, A DETACHABLE CASTER WHEELED SUPPORT FOR THE LOWER END OF EACH OF SAID POSTS, SAID CASTER WHEELED SUPPORTS BEING PARALLELLY SPACED APART AFFORDING UNOBSTRUCTED ACESS THEREBETWEEN FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS, AID WHEELED SUPPORTS INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL MEMBER OF SUBSTANTIALLY LENGTH WITH CASTER ROLLER MEANS SUPPORTING EACH END PORTION THEREOF, BRACES DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID POSTS FROM A LOCATION SPACED ABOVE SAID HORIZONTAL MEMBER AND EXTENDING ANGULARLY DOWNWARD AND CONNECTED TO EACH OUTER END PORTION OF SAID HORIZONTAL MEMBER, PULLEY MEANS MOUNTED ON THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID U-SHAPED FRAME, A LOAD SUPPORTING CABLE HAVING AN END DEPENDING FROM SAID PULLEY MEANS AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE CENTER OF SAID U-SHAPED FRAME, A BALANCED SUPPORT BAR SECURED TO THE SAID DEPENDING CABLE END, WINDLASS MEANS ON SAID U- 